Standbrook aids Maine hockey success Assistant coach ready for his 14th Frozen Four

Grant Standbrook, the recruiting coordinator and architect behind the University of Maine’s hockey success the last 14 years, will be appearing in his 14th Frozen Four when the University of Maine faces New Hampshire in Thursday’s 1:30 p.m. national semifinal at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

UMaine’s assistant coach made seven trips with the University of Wisconsin and this will be his seventh trip with Maine. Five of those previous 13 trips resulted in national championships: three with Wisconsin and two with Maine.

So how does this Maine team compare with the two Maine teams that returned with a national championship?

“This team is more talented than the ’99 team. It doesn’t have the marquee players that the ’93 team had [i.e. Paul Kariya, Mike Dunham, Garth Snow],” said Standbrook. “But they have an esprit de corps and determination that matches any of them.”

Esprit de corps refers to a group spirit or sense of pride among a group of individuals.

“These guys depend on one another and recognize contributions are needed from everybody, which leads to our overall strength,” said Standbrook. “Every team that makes it to the Final Four has talent. We have talent but we’re a team above all else.”

Standbrook said he expected this team to finish strong [16-4-4 in its last 24 games] and wind up in the Frozen Four although the death of 18-year head coach Shawn Walsh due to complications from kidney cancer on Sept. 24 certainly made the task more difficult.

“I would have been disappointed if we hadn’t done this,” said Standbrook. “But you have to put an asterisk around it when you have the circumstances we’ve had this year.”

In assessing the team, he said, “We have very good goaltending, our defense is solid and is much improved over the course of the year. And our forwards lines have chemistry which has taken a great part of the year to develop.

“We have the best chemistry we’ve had all year among the lines and within the team,” added Standbrook. “Chemistry is something that is vital. It’s difficult to define but it’s there and it hasn’t always been there. You have to experiment with your lines.

“Over the course of the year, we’ve tried every combination of players [up front], often times due to injuries, but it has enabled us to see each player’s strengths and how they interact with their teammates.”

Ten different forwards have scored at least one goal in Maine’s six playoff games [Hockey East and NCAA] so far this season. Maine has received game-winners from five different forwards.

Maine’s 4.19 goals-per-game average is fourth best in the nation.

Standbrook feels interim head coach Tim Whitehead is deserving of the full-time job.

“I certainly support him wholeheartedly,” said Standbrook, whose phone call to Whitehead helped convince him to come to Maine as an assistant/interim head coach. “I love working with him as does the entire staff. He has done a remarkable job.”

Standbrook’s routine was altered this year because of Walsh’s death.

Instead of recruiting in the fall, Standbrook stayed in Orono to help Whitehead make the transition.

“I was behind in recruiting. I didn’t get out until Jan. 4,” said Standbrook. “We had to adjust everything. But I like our class.”

Maine has received verbal commitments from forward Greg Moore and goalie Jimmy Howard from the United States National Team Development Program and Manitoba Junior Hockey League defensemen Steve Mullin and Travis Wight. Another goalie, Frank Doyle, is redshirting this season and practicing with the team.

Standbrook said he still enjoys recruiting as well as coaching.

“It’s always fun putting the jigsaw puzzle together and hoping you guessed right. The ultimate determination of that is if they can make it to a final competition like this. And we’ve had a lot of success doing that,” said the 60-something Standbrook.

He said the task of getting to the Frozen Four “is what makes me go. It makes every day exciting.”

Is retirement in the offing?

“We’re busy with this season. That is our total focal point right now,” said a non-committal Standbrook.